


For His Own Good

by JewishDavidJacobs



Series: Across Enemy Lines [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Era, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:09:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24933541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JewishDavidJacobs/pseuds/JewishDavidJacobs
Summary: This was for the best. It had to be. So why did Jack’s heart hurt so much?
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Series: Across Enemy Lines [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784512
Comments: 15
Kudos: 52





	For His Own Good

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during my story Across Enemy Lines. Spoilers.

_ Davey had his hand on Jack’s cheek, stroking back and forth with his thumb. Jack lay on his bunk, looking up at Davey, who was propped up on his elbow. “You’re gorgeous.” _

_ Davey chuckled. “You’re not so bad looking yourself.” _

_ “No, I mean it, Dave. Gorgeous.” His eyes sagged as he spoke. _

_ “Shh. Go to sleep, Jacky.” _

_ “It’s still light out.” _

_ “But you’re tired and sick. Why don’t you want to sleep?” _

_ “Because you won’t be here when I wake up.”  _

_ Davey leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep, sweetheart, and I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” _

_ Jack lost his battle with his eyes and let them close. He felt Davey move hair out of his face. “You’re perfect.” _

_ “Far from it, but I’m glad you think so.” _

_ “I’m gonna kiss you so hard when I’m better.” _

_ “I’ll hold you to that.” Jack was treated to a soft, loving kiss that just barely caressed his lips. “Just sleep, Jacky. I’ll take care of you.” _

_ “But you have to leave.” _

_ “I mean always. I’ll always take care of you. I’ll never,  _ ever _ let you be alone.” _

_ “I won’t let you be alone either.” _

_ “Shh, honey. Sleep now.” _

_ “Okay. I love you.” _

_ “I love you too.” _

“Jack? Jack!”

Jack was startled out of his reverie and came back down to earth. He was standing in front of the entire union with his hands on the table. “Hmm?”

“Are you good, Cowboy?” Albert asked. “You were outta it there.”

“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, like I was saying, it don’t make sense for him to be vice president anymore.”

“But why?”

“It ain’t fair to him or to us. He’s working for Pulitzer! How can we ask him to fight his boss, huh?”

“We work for Pulitzer too,” Mush pointed out. 

Jack rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. You really want to put Davey in that position?”

Yes. Yes, that’s what he wanted to do. It didn’t matter that he was the one asking the question. He wanted to make Davey defend them and fight for them tooth and nail but it wasn’t fair to him. Davey had a job now - a real job, unlike Jack - and what kind of person would he be if he let his fella risk his job for him? No, Davey couldn’t be vice president anymore.

“Who do you think could replace him? No one’s got smarts like Mouth or can talk to bigshots like Pulitzer the way he can,” Race said.

JoJo raised his hand awkwardly. “And no offense, Jack, but Brooklyn doesn’t exactly love you.”

“Oh yeah,” Jack said sarcastically. “Gee, I shoulda thought about that. Where are we gonna find another smart guy that Brooklyn likes?”

Every eye in the room slowly shifted towards Race. “Me? No way. I don’t got smarts like Davey and even if I did, I’d say no! It’s  _ Davey,  _ Jack. You can’t just oust him from his spot.”

“Race is right,” Crutchie agreed. “Davey is our friend! We can’t get rid of him.”

“We’re not! Just cause he won’t be part of the union doesn’t mean-”

“Who said anything about him not being part of the union?” Henry asked. “I thought you said vice president.”

“Nobody mentioned nothing about him leaving the union!”

“Yeah! That ain’t right.”

Jack huffed. He hoped his face was making his agitation clear. Did they have to make this harder than it already was? He didn’t want to do this but it was for Davey’s own good. “It’s not right to bring him to meetings if he’s not vice president no more.”

“Then let him be vice president!”

Chaos erupted as everyone tried to get their opinion in. Jack scolded himself for wishing Davey was there to help control them. He was at his important job now, and that was that. Jack had to let him do what he needed to do.

It took almost forty minutes to let everyone say their piece. As the meeting went on, people seemed to become more and more aware of the terrible position they had put Davey in. Just like Jack, people started talking about how unfair it was. He breathed a sigh of relief. A small part of Jack wasn’t sure if he was happy because they agreed or because their agreement made him feel justified. 

In the end, Race and Crutchie were the only two to vote against it. The others had come around to Jack’s side and realized how it would be cruel to make Davey continue as an officer in the union. They would have to talk to Brooklyn first to get their point of view and make sure it wouldn’t cause problems, but after that it would be official.

Jack didn’t see Race for the rest of the night and Crutchie wouldn’t acknowledge him when they went to sleep. Whatever. The two of them didn’t get that Jack had to make hard decisions that nobody liked, not even him. He pulled the blanket over his head and blocked out the world, trying not to think about whether or not Davey had made it home yet.

This was for the best. It had to be. So why did Jack’s heart hurt so much?

_ He woke up the next morning when someone kissed him. “Good morning, Jacky.” _

_ “Dave? What are you doing here?” he asked, blinking blearily. _

_ “The morning bell’s about to ring. I figured you deserved a nicer wakeup call than that. This was preferable, right?” _

_ “Definitely, but you’re supposed to be asleep and then going to school.” _

_ “I got up early to come see you.” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “Because I love you and because you were upset I wouldn’t be here when you got up. Well, here I am.” _

_ Jack smiled sleepily. “I don’t deserve you.” _

_ “Of course you do. You deserve everything, Jacky.” _

_ “You take such good care of me.” _

_ “I told you already, I’ll never let you be alone.” _

_ “I’ll never let you be alone either.” _

_ “Promise?” _

_ “Promise.” _

__


End file.
